An excerpt from the McKeen’s Hockey article which takes a look at Danny Kristo and his Omaha Lancers team of the USHL:
McKeen’s correspondents Kevin Wey and Max Giese had the opportunity to watch the Omaha Lancers at the 2008 USHL Fall Classic and enter notes on several key prospects.
McKeen’s correspondents Kevin Wey and Max Giese had the opportunity to watch the Omaha Lancers at the 2008 USHL Fall Classic and enter notes on several key prospects.
Danny Kristo (Mtl), RW, OmahaWith Patrick Marleau-like speed, Kristo has the real potential of tearing up the USHL .. has phenomenal speed, generated even though he is slightly upright in his skating .. has good acceleration with the puck and can beat the best USHL defensemen wide with his speed with seeming ease and drive the net, but typically does so after having built up some momentum through the neutral zone .. a smooth stickhandler who handles the puck with confidence, because he knows it’ll stay on his stick .. adept at drawing the puck back into his body with toe drags .. demonstrates excellent agility with tight, quick circles and pivots with the puck in order to ditch opponents .. is almost like a running back in some of the shiftiness and shuffles he can display and does not always rely on his pure speed .. soft hands for fielding passes and quickly transitioning to shots .. has a hard wristshot and can fire it in stride .. passing game was inconsistent, and did not demonstrate he has a natural finishing ability, either .. more adept at skating the puck than distributing, and teammates would be wise to trail for the rebound opportunities he’ll create all season .. in 2007-08, he scored 21 goals and 17 assists in 55 games for USNTDP U-18 .. committed to University of North Dakota .. 2008 USHL Fall Classic stats: 3-1-3-4, 2 pim.
Additional Comments by Max Giese
Arguably the most impressive player at the Fall Classic .. like a race car, Kristo is explosive and loves speed .. has lightning quick feet with the ability to accelerate by multiple opponents easily at this level .. exciting in one-on-one situations with quick hands and commanding lateral bursts of speed that keep defenders guessing .. his bread and butter is gaining a head of stream through the neutral zone before attacking defenders with every intention of shooting the puck .. can release his quick and accurate shot at full flight .. his playmaking skills leave room for improvement, as he doesn’t utilize his linemates well .. needs to develop his lower gears and manufacture more offense from deep within the opponent’s zone .. defensively, he has a great stick in traffic and is always buzzing around the puck .. an effective penalty killer that once nearly killed a penalty all on his own by holding onto the puck and skating laps around the opponents multiple times .. fearless and seemingly finds another gear of speed before absorbing a hit so he can slide through and retain possession .. not big and obviously in need of more strength, but he has a great work ethic and is rarely taken off his feet .. a dominant player that should be in the NCAA right now.